I am happy that I found a post related to arkansas public record here.

I’ve tried to play nice, but your desperate attempts to slander Huckabee are pathetic. It’s time for one Mitt-head to take his head out of his…well you know.

Let’s start off with a little myth busting shall we… Sure, Romney “lowered taxes”, but he didn’t lighten the burden on the taxpayer. In his first budget alone he raised various fees which added up to a $500,000,000 increase on taxpayers. He also raised business taxes, and finally implemented a Hillary Clinton Style universal health care plan. Basically what Romney did was try to mislead America, by lowering taxes and raising fees, not exactly conservative.

Response to Link 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80WCV_tW3jQ

Response to Link 2:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/11/huckabee_is_a_fiscal_conservat.html

Response to Link 3:

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Newsroom.Article&ID=123

Here’s a few links of my own…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6QNQSTWfiM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Elx3UWmyAY4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8bSyAihn18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQvny6CKcNc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzYTdM9b5F4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c3xJdFbJGw&feature=related

Romney was likewise a conservative governor in a much more liberal state (Taxachussets) and managed to keep the taxes down and shrunk goverment, which is what conservatives are supposed to do.

For the reader’s pleasure, here are some more nice links that expose Huck for what he is.

Link 1

Link 2

Link 3

People have said those things, but half of those quotes came from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette…not exactly conservative. Secondly, there are people from Arkansas that I could quote that thought Mike was conservative.

Mike was a controversial figure in Arkansas because of two major things…

1) He was a Republican governor in a traditionally Democratic state.

2) He worked with both parties to ensure that Arkansians were the prime beneficiaries of their state and local governments.

Just to tell you more about him…

- This is a guy that when FEMA was failing to perform during the Huricane season, he personally ensured that thousands of “refugees” had a place to go.

- This is a guy that when told he would die an early death, radically changed his life. He’s the only person I know that has ever reversed Diabetes.

- This is a guy that was the first person in his family to graduate from college.

- This is a guy that when a congregation he was preaching at didn’t want to have black members, he threatened to leave if they weren’t welcomed.

- This is a guy that cut taxes and fees nearly 100 times in Arkansas?!?!? It had never been done before, and will probably never be done again. Truly an amazing accomplishment.

All I’m saying is just because a guy doesn’t 100% match up with what you would call a conservative (though I believe he does), doesn’t mean that you should throw stones at him. Does he have a blemish or two…no… he has more like 100. But he has been a consistant compassionate conservative is entire life (and I’m purposely going to end the sentence there ).

I’m sorry, but I simply cannot let you get the last word here. It’s fine to go read what Huckabee says about himself per all your links. It’s quite another thing to see what other Arkansas conservatives are saying about him. He’s definitely not the guy I would want in the White house, and here’s lots of reasons why:

TAX-AND-SPEND RECORD

FACT: Arkansas Conservatives Have Widely Criticized Gov. Huckabee:

Betsy Hagan, Arkansas Director Of The Eagle Forum: “He Was Pro-Life And Pro-Gun, But Otherwise A Liberal” “Nor am I alone. Betsy Hagan, Arkansas director of the conservative Eagle Forum and a key backer of his early runs for office, was once ‘his No. 1 fan.’ She was bitterly disappointed with his record. ‘He was pro-life and pro-gun, but otherwise a liberal,’ she says. ‘Just like Bill Clinton he will charm you, but don’t be surprised if he takes a completely different turn in office.’” (John Fund, “Another Man From Hope,” The Wall Street Journal, 10/26/07)

Former Republican State Rep. Randy Minton Said That Gov. Huckabee’s Record Will Turn Away Economic Conservatives. “Also that year, the state grappled with an economic downturn and a resulting budget shortfall. ‘Republicans that believe in limited government and lower taxes and fees, they’ll look at his record, and they won’t be satisfied with it,’ said former Republican state Rep. Randy Minton of Ward.” (Daniel Nasaw, “Home Turf Not Rock Solid For Huckabee,” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 10/4/07)

- Huckabee Has Been Called “A Treacherous Liberal On Taxes, Social Welfare Spending And Illegal Immigration.” “Mr. Minton voices the concerns of many conservatives that while Mr. Huckabee governed as a social conservative in opposing abortion and same-sex ‘marriage,’ he was a treacherous liberal on taxes, social welfare spending and illegal immigration.” (Ralph Z. Hallow, “Huckabee Stirs Up Third Party Fear,” The Washington Times, 10/29/07)

Phyllis Schlafly Said That Huckabee “Destroyed The Conservative Movement In Arkansas.” “Mrs. Schlafly, one of the most respected leaders in the social-conservative movement, has accused Mr. Huckabee of ‘destroying’ the conservative movement in Arkansas and leaving the GOP ‘in shambles.’ She says many of the evangelical Christians who ’sold’ social conservative voters on President Bush in 2000 are now ‘trying to sell us on Mike Huckabee.’” (Ralph Z. Hallow, “Huckabee Stirs Up Third Party Fear,” The Washington Times, 10/29/07)

FACT: Newspapers In Arkansas Have Lambasted Gov. Huckabee And His Liberal Fiscal Record:

In An Editorial, The [Arkansas] Leader Called Huckabee “One Of The Most Liberal Governor’s In Arkansas History.” “His record has been both Huckabee?s strength and his Achilles? heel, as we have had occasion to observe. He is one of the most liberal governors in Arkansas history, having accounted for more tax increases than any other and having enlarged state government more than any other. He has exorbitantly inflated his record as a tax-cutter on the stump and now that will catch up with him. But we continue to believe that if he will shoot straight with the Republican constituencies, his record and his moderate views on such things as immigration and government health assistance could make him the party?s best opponent to Sen. Hillary Clinton, the expected Democratic nominee. That is not the conventional wisdom, but it will be his best pitch.” (Editorial, “Huck Keeps Moving Up,” The [Arkansas] Leader, 10/31/07)

Huckabee’s Tax Increases Were Mockingly Called The “Tax Me More Fund.” “What a banana-splitting riot Gov. Mike Huckabee has conjured with his ‘Tax Me More Fund’ campaign. Those of us who don’t feel we are being adequately peeled by government now are free to send our tax-deductible contributions to the state.” (Mike Masterson, Op-Ed, “Bananas And Taxes,” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 12/6/01)

- “I don’t know about you, but I could hardly wait to get my additional tax dollar in the mail this week. It’s becoming increasingly obvious to me, in light of Huckabee’s enlightened leadership, that we should acknowledge how we are not being taxed enough in Arkansas today. Why, just this week I found myself complaining to an underpaid Quickie Mart attendant that I didn’t feel the 33 cents or so a gallon I am paying for highway construction and maintenance is nearly enough. It certainly wasn’t enough to keep us from enjoying the two worst interstates in America, so I left an extra quarter on the counter.” (Mike Masterson, Op-Ed, “Bananas And Taxes,” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 12/6/01)

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Huckabee Is “Economically Illiterate” And Needs A “Refresher Course In Basic Economics.” “The time to investigate the wisdom of this tax was before the Guv signed it into law. A refresher course in basic economics might have helped, too. Only the economically illiterate believe that businesses can be taxed without their passing the costs on to those who buy their goods and services–in this case, nursing home patients. To pretend otherwise is to ignore not just economics but human nature.” (Editorial, “In Shock,” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 6/20/01)

Huckabee Was Widely Criticized For His Record Budgets. “Beware of rosy budgets submitted by governors addicted to easy money. We’re not just talking tacos and pantyhose anymore. We’re talking about the biggest state budget ever proposed. We’re talking billions, three of them and change. And that’s just general revenue; it doesn’t count those other hundreds of millions Gov. Mike Huckabee apparently wants to raise by going in debt for highways based on federal money to come.” (John Brummett, Op-Ed, “Huckabee’s Easy-Money Budget,” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 11/17/98)

- “For perspective: Huckabee’s budget is more like one submitted by Bill Clinton than Jim Guy Tucker. Clinton sometimes overbudgeted, which meant that when tax collections lagged he was required by the Revenue Stabilization Act to order across-the-board reductions in spending levels to keep the budget balanced. Tucker, who governed during periods of growth, was notorious for stingy budgeting that produced end-of-year windfalls. ” (John Brummett, Op-Ed, “Huckabee’s Easy-Money Budget,” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 11/17/98)

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Said Huckabee’s Grocery Tax Allowed The State “To Grind The Faces Of The Poor.” “Yes, There have been failures, too. Mike Huckabee has shown a growing weakness for the easy, politically savvy solution rather than real reform. Instead of eliminating the tax on groceries, he fiddled and compromised and finally caved in to the Legislature. And so the state continues to grind the faces of the poor, and the working poor, and just those on a tight budget, every time they buy their bread and milk.” (Editorial, “For Mike Huckabee,” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 10/29/98)

Mitt, Rudy or John.

If it did come down to one of those three or a Democrat I would have to vote Libertarian.

I know you’re still looking for your candidate, but I’m glad you’re considering Huckabee. Have you been to his website? http://www.mikehuckabee.com , I’ve been to several of the candidates’ pages and it’s one of the best.

I could argue with you about Huck’s record, but why not go straight to the source…

- You can view his policy/record on immigration here:

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Issues.View&Issue_id=4

- and here –

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Newsroom.Article&ID=82

- Here is his views on taxes/economy:

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Issues.View&Issue_id=5

- Truth Squad’s response to Club For Growth:

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Newsroom.Article&ID=119

- Truth Squad’s response to AP Article:

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Newsroom.Article&ID=121

Huckabee has been forthcoming and consistant on his views, that’s more than I could say for Mittens. Mitt tries to act like he’s the second coming of Reagan (although he doesn’t want us to return to the Reagan philosophy, he said so himself, don’t make me get the video), when in all reality he might as well be John Kerry junior. There are countless examples of Mitt flip-flopping, do we really have to go into those (once again, I can get the videos)…

So just because Huck has what is in your opinion a “disproportionate percentage of evangelical support”, that makes him and his supporters bigots?

Once again that doesn’t make sense… I would assume that Romney has a “disproportionate percentage” of Mormons, does that make them bigots?

Tell me exactly what non-goverment immigration reform experience Romney has? I mean…other than mansion-gate.

Isn’t Romney in his own religeous bigotry controversary right now? One at a time please…

Actually I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Occum’s Razor. Is it sharp sometimes and dull other times, kind of like Romney’s positions?

Most people think McCain is behind the push polling, but he suggests it’s Rudy. Either way, Huck really doesn’t have the money to undertake such a venture.

Well… some thought that Huck didn’t have a chance in Iowa, but I guess that theory is out the window isn’t it.

Trust me, just because we support Huck doesn’t mean we support Rudy, there is no big anti-Mormon conspiracy.

I’m not going to get into the Theological differences between “Evangelicals” and Mormons, but you’re right we have more in common than we have differences.

Once again, I’m not anti-Romney, but does it really hurt your feelings that much that America now has another alternative to the Subway Series Twins?

We can stop here or we can keep this going, I’d prefer to stop here, but it’s up to you. Let’s agree that they’re both good candidates and move on…

I’d rather the canidate answer to the people of this nation then to a God.

That being said, Mitt’s religion has nothing to do with why I refuse to vote for him. His flip/flops and refusal to answer questions are.

The Huckster is among the most egregious “flip floppers” I have ever seen. At least Romney has admitted that he was wrong on abortion and changed his position. He owned up to it. Huckabee, on the other hand, has never owned up to being soft on immigration and a fiscally liberal tax and spend guy. Instead, he tries to split hairs with both issues while trying to maintain that he is conservative on both counts. This is the kind of “flip flopping” that ought to make everyone nervous about him. You’ll never get a straight, honest position out of him because he flips and flops several times in the same sentence. Just go review his performance in last nights debate and you’ll see exactly what I mean.

As for the religious bigotry thing, well, you are entitled to your opinion, but when Huckabee starts lining up a disproportionate percentage of evangelical support (as his recent poll numbers show), I smell a rat, especially when Mitt is the far-superior candidate in terms of non-Government, real-world leadership experience, foreign policy experience, fiscal conservatism, immigration reform, fundraising and self-funding capacity, and many other factors. Couple that with the recent bigoted anti-Mormon “push polling” (which was probably done by Huckabee or Huckabee supporters) and the “Christian Leader” banner on Huckabee’s recent television ad, and this is clearly the conclusion that I must come to. Disagree if you must, but if it walks like a duck, it’s usually a duck. Ever heard of Occum’s Razor???

Huckabee has zero chance of winning anywhere except Iowa. He has no ground game and no money. But if he wins in Iowa, it does nothing but help Rudy. If you watch the bloggosphere carefully, you will see a lot of warm fuzzies flowing back and forth between the Giuliani and Huckabee camps. It is a sellout by the supposedly conservative Huckster to the social liberal Rudy, and the entire thought of that should be anathema to social conservatives. So what lunacy would drive them to that? The only thing I can point to is Mitt’s religion. Many are uncomfortable with it.

But while I am on the subject of religion, let me just put forth that Mormonism, when it comes down to the basic day-to-day belief, living, and practice of it, is not as different from what the evangelicals believe, live, and practice. The only thing that makes it seem to be so, is the anti-Mormon propaganda that is so prevalent in evangelical circles. They find a little bit of obscure something in Mormonism, and then mis-characterize it to suit their agenda, which basically is one of competition, because Mormonism, because of its proselytizing, is a threat to them. Perhaps bigotry is too strong a term for it. Maybe I will just call it ignorance.

It is this propaganda that makes people uncomfortable with Mitt’s religion, and it unfortunately causes many people to overlook him as the most capable person to offer himself up for public service in a generation. I find that tragic for the American people. If we end up with an autocratic crony-promoting RINO like Rudy in the White House because of it, or worse, another Clinton, then I guess America deserves what it gets.

That means Paul, Tancredo, Huckabee, Hunter and Thompson are still on my list.

I agree Hunter did a fine job tonight as well as Thompson, Huckabee and Paul. I think Mitt refused to answer some of the questions put to him and Rudy IS running off of 9/11. McCain is off the list for his bills and his conduct during, and after, the 2000 election.

I hate that I am so easily enticed into these candidate vs. candidate spats, I try to be relatively positive, but then I get dragged into this kind of stuff…

- Huckabee may be a spoiler for Romney, but that’s because voters have seen where they both stand on the issues, and have decided that Huck is the better choice.

- While Huck may be positioning himself in order to be a Rudy VP choice, you could say he’s done the same thing to McCain, and even to some extent Romney. But don’t be mislead by his friendly politics, he’s running for President of the United States.

- There’s alot of things you could call Huck, but a sellout isn’t one of them. He’s stayed true to his roots. He openly talks about his faith, his lower class upbringing, and his everyman’s political philosophy.

- I’m not going to get into whether Rudy is or is not a RINO, like I said, I try to stay positive (unless I’m enticed or just happen to be in a bad mood).

- If I’m not mistaken it is Huckabee who get’s the electoral college votes if he wins in Iowa, and gets the momentum and publicity, not Rudy…That’s like saying a vote for Romney is a vote for Rudy, that just doesn’t make sense.

- Ron Richey said “Those who are lining up with Huck instead of Romney are doing so almost exclusively out of religious bigotry.” Oh really? Or could it be that we want someone who has been consistant on the issues we care about? Maybe we like the idea of the Fair Tax? Before you start calling me and those like me bigots, you might want to get your facts straight. For months I was a Romney supporter, until I “saw the light”. And I still don’t dislike the guy, I thought he did a good job in the youtube debate. And I would more than likely support him in the general election.

- Ron Richey says, “It really is sad that they don’t realize that they will be potentially launching Rudy into the nomination if they continue on that path…”.

Once again, that flat out doens’t make sense. I assume you believe Huckabee isn’t electable, well to that I would say that he sure looks electable in Iowa.

Please don’t be bitter, I know it can be frustrating when your candidate is behind in the polls, but you had a good run. You guys have been ahead this whole time, it just happens that Huck has taken the lead at the right time.

And who knows? Romney could still win in Iowa, after all, this is politics.

I too am looking forward to the debate coverage, I thought all the candidates performed well (even Thompson). I thought that Hunter had the best night of anybody. It is apparent that the GOP is in somewhat of an identity crisis, this was especially apparent in the McCain/Tancredo vs. Paul exchanges. If an outsider was watching the debate, they would come to the conclusion that the Republicans are a bit schizophrenic.

Looking forward to your article on the You Tube Republican debate.

I want to point out that Huck may have raised certain taxes, but overall he decreased taxes. He believes responsible fiscal policies out weigh any strict ideology. He is for a better America, not just doing what we’ve always done.

We do not need a Republican President, or a Democratic President. We don’t even need an Independant President. We need an American President who will work towards a better America, and that’s what Huckabee will do. It’s interesting that he is constantly attacked from the Left and the Right, yet the average citizen agrees with him.

I think it’s important to note that the media is biased against alot of people. Hannity is against Ron Paul, Chris Matthews is anti-Hillary, and Fred Thompson believes that all of Fox News is out to get him. We need to stop taking our marching orders from the media, and honestly take a look at who would be best for America.

That’s why I can respect the Ron Paulians, they know what Ron Paul stands for and they honestly believe he is the best man for the job.

What would your candidate do for America? What policies do you agree with? Or have you just been force fed an image?

Huck just took first place in the Rasmussen Iowa poll.

Mike Huckabee – 28%
Mitt Romney – 25%
Rudy Giuliani – 12%
Fred Thompson – 11%
Ron Paul – 5%
Tom Tancredo – 4%
John McCain – 4%
Duncan Hunter – 1%